The present invention relates to systems for monitoring and/or affecting parameters of a patient's body for the purpose of medical diagnosis and/or treatment. More particularly, systems in accordance with the invention are characterized by a plurality of devices, preferably battery-powered, configured for implanting within a patient's body, each device being configured to sense a body parameter, e.g., temperature, O2 content, physical position, etc., and/or to affect a parameter, e.g., via nerve stimulation.
Applicants' commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/030,106 entitled “Battery Powered Patient Implantable Device”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,452, incorporated herein by reference, describes devices configured for implantation within a patient's body, i.e., beneath a patient's skin, for performing various functions including: (1) stimulation of body tissue, (2) sensing of body parameters, and (3) communicating between implanted devices and devices external to a patient's body.